Maddison Available but Omitted From Tottenham Starting XI

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison was available for the Premier League match against Crystal Palace on October 31, but Roberto De Zerbi left him out of the starting lineup after the player missed some training following a groin injury scare. Maddison came off in the 51st minute of Tottenham’s 2-0 win at Chelsea the previous weekend. De Zerbi said before the Palace game that the midfielder was available, while noting the club would assess whether it was worth taking a risk. Dominic Solanke returned to the starting XI in Maddison’s place. The decision followed a season in which Maddison had been managing his return from a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury. He had played 210 minutes across seven Premier League and EFL Cup appearances, an average of 30 minutes per game, according to a season tally. He had started twice in the league, including against Chelsea and Coventry City. Former Tottenham midfielder Gus Poyet said Maddison’s recurring injuries and difficulty completing full matches were a concern for the club. Poyet’s comments were an assessment of the player’s fitness, rather than a medical diagnosis. Maddison had completed 90 minutes only three times in...